Bowling alley



y 9, 1940. E. G. STRONG 2,207,643

BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 31, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor EARL G,STRONG,

Attorneys July 9, 1940.

E. G. STRONG BOWLING ALLEY s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1939 AlfomeysE. G. STRONG BOWLING ALLEY July 9, 1940.

Filed Jan. 31, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet I5 Inventor EARL G. 5TRONG1,

E. G. STRONG July 9, 1940.

BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 31, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor EARL G.STRONG,

A tiorneys July 9, 1940. E. G. STRONG BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 51, 19596 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. G. STRONG BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 31, 1939 6Sheets-Sheet 6 l'nvenior EARL G. sTRONG A iiorneys Patented July 9, 1940STATE&

raranr orrica 6 Claims.

This invention relates to bowling alleys and more particularly toplaying pin supporting and resetting mechanism in combination with aplaying ball check and return means. The primary object of thisinvention is the provision of means whereby the player may reset thepins with minimum effort from a playing position and the playing ballsautomatically returned to the players ball rack or to the playing end ofthe alley.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means wherein thepins will be suspended in a vertical or playing position and be free toswing within a prescribed limit and when struck by a ball will beautomaticalh raised to a substantially horizontal position either singlyor in groups and thus maintained until released so that they will notinterfere with subsequent plays that may be made for pins remaining invertical or playing position.

With these and other objects in view, the inventicn consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating a bowling alley constructedin accordance with my invention.

Figure '2 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the device, andshowing one of the pins in a substantially horizontal position while theremaining pins are supported in vertical or playing position.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation look-- ing at the opposite sideof the device from that shown in Figure 2 and illustrating the ballreturn mechanism.

Figure 5 is a rear or end elevation illustrating the device with certainof the pins in substantially horizontal position while the other pinsare in vertical or playing position.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line Figure 8 is a fragmentaryfront elevation illustrating the means as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary rear elevation showing a portion of thelocking means and its connection with the pin supporting rod. 5

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a jointemployed in the pin supporting rod.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral ll indicates afragmentary portion of a w bowling alley including the usual floor l2over which the playing balls are rolled as customary in bowling. A ballreturn trough or gutter is indicated by the character I3 and extendsalong one side of the floor l2 for the return of the playing 15 balls tothe playing end of the alley or to the usual ball rack located at theplayers end of the alley. The pin end of the alley is indicatedgenerally by the character B and associated with said 'end of the alleyis a supporting structure I4 on 20 which is mounted a pin supportingframe It of triangular shape and located above the pin end of the alley,indicated by the character B, or over the place on the floor l2 wherethe pins are spotted or arranged in playing position. The supportingframe l5 includes a plurality of transversely arranged and relativelyspaced bars IS. The pin supporting frame I 5 as is apparent in Figure 2is constructed of upper and lower triangular shaped portions with barsl6 secured to 59 each portion and with the bars arranged in pairs withthe bars of each pair located in superimposed relation.

Combined pin supporting, locking and elevating devices I! are carried bythe bars l6 and to which are connected the playing pins l8 whereby saidplaying pins may be either supported in vertical or playing position orsupported in substantially horizontal position and releasably secured ineither of said positions. 4

Each of the combined pin supporting, locking and elevating mechanisms isidentical in con- \%t]ruction and reference to one specifically is tought sufiicient to give a clear understanding of m: operation of thispart of the invention.

The echanism ll includes an arcuately curved bracket i8 suitablyfastened on one of the bars or members I5, as indicated at l9, and isprovided with an elongated opening 20' through which extends a pin rod20 and as shown in Figure 10, the rod 20 extends completely through thepin l8 and has threaded thereon a retaining nut 2| countersunk in thelower end of the pin. The rod 20 includes sections connected together bya ball and socket joint 22 whereby the lowermost section or the sectionattached to the pin l8 may have a free swinging movement within aprescribed limit or. in other words, when the pin I8 is supportedvertically and struck by a ball it may swing in a direction influencedby the impact of the ball therewith so that in many instances the pinstruck may also strike'a neighboring pin for moving the same suficientlyto bring about its elevation along with the pin struck by the ball to asubstantially horizontal position. Of course, it is to be understoodthat if the impact of the ball with the first pin is'sufficient to bringabout excessive swinging movement of that pin it may strike several ofits neighboring pins and cause them to be automatically elevated alongwith the pin struck'to a substantially horizontal position. Theuppermost section of the rod 20 extend through the elongated opening 20'of the bracket i8 and is equipped with a bearing element 23 of sphericalshape having seated relation with a cup type bearing 24 mounted on themember l6 adjacent the bracket l8. It is to be understood that thecup-shaped bearing 24 allows the upper section of the rod 20 to move orswing freely therein. The upper end of the uppermost section of the rod20 is equipped with a ball 25 received within a socket 26 of a lockingdevice 21 in the form of a plunger 28 having the socket 26 in one endthereof and its opposite end reduced, as shown at 29, to slide throughan opening in one of the uppermost members is. The socketed end of theplunger 28 enlarges said end to present a shoulder seat 30 for one endof a coil spring 3| to engage, the other end of the coil spring bearingin a semi-spherical shaped cup 32 mounted on the reduced end 29 of theplunger 28 and bearing against the uppermost member l6. Thus it will beseen that the plunger 28 may have a pivotal movement to assume either ofthe positions as shown in Figure 7 and when in a substantially verticalposition the plunger is forcing the pin rod 20 downwardly with thebearing 23 thereof in engagement with the seat 24 positioning the pin 58in playing or vertical position. The plunger 28 when in this position isslightly to one side of dead center position, consequently retaining theupper section of the pin rod 20 in a substantially vertical positionwhich maintains the pin l8 in playing position free for the limitedswinging movement if struck by a ball.

The socket'26 has one wall cut away in order to define a lip orextension 34 which bears against the upper section of the rod 20 whenretaining the pin ill in playing position. When the pin I8 is struck bya ball swinging movement is imparted thereto which, of course, isimparted to both sections of the pin rod 20, the upper section pivotingon the seat 24 and in so doing creates a force on the plunger 28 to movethe latter from a substantially vertical position past dead centerposition and as the plunger leaves dead center position the spring 3|shoves the plunger downwardly, as shown in Figure 7, elevating the rod20 and consequently the pin l8 into a substantially horizontal position,the pin retaining this position until theplunger is again returned toits substantially verticalposition, as shown in Figure 7, through amechanism which will be hereinafter described in detail and which. ofcourse, restores the pin to playing or vertical position.

The mechanism 'for restoring or freeing the 'pins from substantiallyhorizontal position consists of a series of pivotally mounted arms 36engageable with the pin rod 20 or the ball and socket joints thereof andare pivotally mounted on the lower members ii of the supporting frame l5and include arcuately curved portions 31 to which operating rods 38 areconnected. The operating rods 38 are slidable through an operating bar39 slidably mounted on the supporting structure; l4. The free ends ofthe rods 38 are equippedwith heads 40 engaged by coil springs 4| mountedon said rods and which also bear against the operating bar 39 providinga yieldable driving connection between said rods and thebar. The bar 33is mounted for sliding movement and includes spaced members 42 carryinga roller 43 which rides a cam 44 having high and low faces as clearlyshown in Figure 3 and is secured on a shaft 45 suitably journaled on thesupporting structure 14. As the cam 44 completes one revolution theoperating bar 39 is caused to slide rearwardly and then forwardly. Therearward movement of the bar 39 operates the arms 36 through the rods 38for the purpose of swinging the pin l8 and pin rod 20 downwardly intovertical position causing the plunger 28to slide upwardly and assumesubstantially vertical position slightly past dead center position,thereby releasably securing the pins IS in playing position.

A driven shaft 46 is journaled on the supporting structure I4 and isgeared to a drive shaft 41 by gears 48. The drive shaft 41 is journaledon the supporting structure and is belted to an electric motor 49mounted on the supporting structure. It is to be understood that themotor 49 is kept running when the bowling alley is in use.

A gear 50 is secured on the cam shaft 45 and meshes with a gear,5ljournaled on the driven shaft 46 and which includes a clutch element 52.Splined on the driven shaft 46 is a clutch element 53 to coact with theclutch element 52 in releasably securing the gear 5| to the driven shaft46. The clutch element 53 is grooved to receive an operating lever 54one end of which is journaled onthe cam shaft 45 and the 0pposite endconnected to a spring means 56 acting to position the clutch element 53out of engagement with the clutch element 52.

A timing disc .51 is secured on the shaft 45 spring'56 acts to maintainthe pin in riding contact with the timing disc 51. An operating means 59is connected to the free end of the lever 54 and extends to the playingend of the alley whereby the player whenever desiring to set or arrangethe pins I8 in vertical or playing position may shift the position ofthe lever 54 to engage the clutch element 53 with the clutch element 5|starting the cam shaft 45 to rotating, also the timing disc 51. Therotation of the cam shaft 45 through the cam 44 and roller 43 bringabout retraction of the operating rods 38 to affect the plungers 28 andrestore the pins [8 to playing or vertical position over the alley. Asthe lever 54 is moved to engage the clutch element 53 with the clutchelement 52 the pin 58 is withdrawn from the socket and then rides theface of the timing disc 51 untilthe cam has completed one revolutionwhen the pin again reenters the socket and allows the spring 56 torestore the lever 54 to the position of disengaging the clutch element53 from the clutch element 52 stopping the operation of the cam andnaturally the resetting mechanism of the pins H3.

The operating mechanism 59 consists of a series of bell crank levers andconnecting links, one of which extends to the playing end of the alleyin convenient reach of the player so that it may be gripped and pulledfor effecting the operation of the lever 54.

From the foregoing description it can be readily seen how the playingpins l8 are restored to playing or vertical position directlyover thealley and slightly spaced therefrom by the player from theirsubstantially horizontal position and through the construction describedany pins after playing a box remaining vertical will not be disturbed bythe resetting of the pins from horizontal position to playing position.

A check roller 60 is journaled on the supporting structure l4 rearwardlyof the pins and the fioor of the alley rearwardly of the playingposition of the pins and in the direction of the check roller slopesdownwardly, as clearly shown in Figure 6, so that the playing ballsafter passing the pins will gravitate into engagement with the checkroller Gil and pass slowly thereunder or in accordance with the speed ofrotation of the roller 60. The roller 60 is mounted in bearings 61 onthe supporting structure !4 for a limited vertical movement, thebearings 6| including springs acting to urge the roller downwardly intoa position sufficient to be contacted by the playing ball and act as acheck therefor. However, as the roller 50 rotates the playing balls'maypass thereunder, the roller 60 being free to move upwardly a limiteddistance sufiicient to permit the playing balls to be fed thereunder bythe rotation of said roller 60. The shaft of the roller 60 is indicatedby the character 62 and is belted to a pulley 63 secured on the drivenshaft 46. The belt employed for belting the shaft 62 to the pulley 63 isindicated by the character 64 and is engaged by a spring influenced belttightener 65. Thus it will be seen that the check roller is always inrotation during the operation of the motor 49 so as to check the playingballs after passing the pins and to feed the playing balls thereunderinto engagement with a spring influenced arcuately curved plate 66pivotally mounted on the supporting structure it rearwardly of the checkroller. The elevating plate 66 is urged in the direction of the checkroller by a spring'fi'i so that as a ball is fed under and past thecheck roller due to the rotation of the latter it comes in contact withthe elevating plate 66 and caused to travel upwardly of the lattercausing said elevating plate to pivot away from the check rollersufficient to permit the playing balls to climb until they pass the freeend of the check plate whence they may roll onto a delivery platform 68hinged to the elevating plate 66 and slidably supported by thesupporting structure 14 terminating over an inclined collecting chute 69leading to the gutter or trough I3.

As the playing ball leaves the collecting trough 69 and enters thetrough l3 it comes in contact with an endless belt 10 and is caused totravel with considerable speed .in the trough l3 toward the player's endof the alley. As the ball leaves the endless belt ill it has sufiicientmomentum to carry it to the players end of the alley or onto the usualball rack provided at said end of the alley.

The endless belt 10 is trained over a series of pulleys II a pair ofwhich is journaled on the supporting structure and one of said pulleysis secured on the driven shaft 46 so as to be driven by the motor andthereby bring about bperation oi the endless belt over a portion of thetrough iii. The trough l3 where passing under the lower run of theendless belt 10 includes an upwardly inclined portion 12, as clearlyshown in Figure 4. for the purpose of causing the balls to travelupwardly and tightly against the lower run of the belt when being fedalong the trough l3 by the operation of said belt. Another portion ofthe trough l3 under the lower run of the belt i i slopes downwardly, asshown at 73, so that the balls after being in contact with the lower runof the belt may leave the latter freely with sufiicient momentum tocarry them to the players end of the alley and onto the usual ball rack(not shown). Therefore, from the foregoing description it will be seenthat as the" for engagement with the endless belt to be driven therebyto the playing end of the alley and onto the usual ball rack.-

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connectionwith the drawings will fully set forth the construction and advantagesof this invention to those skilled in the art to which such a devicerelates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a bowling alley, a playing floor. having a ball return trough andpins, a supporting structure at the pin end of the floor, a pin framecar ried by the supporting structure and arranged over the floor, aplurality of pin suspending and elevating devices carried by the pinframe whereby the pins may be suspended in playing position over thefloor and elevated into substantially horizontal positions when struckby a ball or one pin by another, each of said means including a rodsecured to a pin composed of sections, a ball and socket jointconnecting the sections of the rod, a bracket secured on the pin frameand having elongated opening to freely receive the rod, a pivotalmounting for said rod on the pin frame, a ball carried by said rod, aspring influenced plunger pivotally and slidably mounted on the pinframe and having a socket to receive the ball, and adapted to assume avertical position slightly past dead center for retaining the rodvertically and capable of swinging when the pin of said rod is struck ablow to move past dead center position and exert a force on the rod toelevate the pin connected thereto into a substantially horizontalposition.

2. In a bowling alley, a playing floor having a ball return trough andpins, a supporting structure at the pin end of the floor, a pin framecarried by the supporting structure and arranged over the floor, aplurality of pin suspending and elevating devices carried by the pinframe whereby the pins may be suspended in playing position over thefloor and elevated into substantially horizontal positions when struckby a ball or one pin by another, each of said means including a rodsecured to a pin composed of sections, a ball and socket jointconnecting the sections of the rod, a bracket secured on the pin frameand having elongated opening to freely receive the rod, a pivotalmounting for said rod on the pin frame, a ball carried by said rod, aspring influenced plunger pivotally and .arms pivotally mounted on thepin frame and engaging said rod from an elevated position do 'wnwardlyto assume vertical position with the pins carried thereby positionedover the floor, and means for operating said arms.

3. In a bowling alley, a playing floor having a ball return trough andpins, a supporting structure at the pin end of the floor, a pinframecarried by the supporting structure and arranged over the floor, aplurality of pin suspending 'and elevating devices carried by the pinframe whereby the pins may be suspended in playing position over thefloor and elevated into substantially horizontal positions when struckby a ball or one pin by another, each of said means including a rodsecured to a pin composed of sections, a ball and socket jointconnecting the sections of the rod, a bracket secured on the pin frameand having an elongated opening to freely receive the rod, a pivotalmounting for said rod on the pin frame, a ball carried by said rod, aspring infiuenced plunger pivotally and slidably mounted on the pinframe and having a socket to receive the ball and adapted to assume avertical position slightly past dead center for retaining the rodvertically and capable of swingingwhen the pin of said rod is struck ablow to move past dead center position and exert a force on the rod toelevate the pin connected thereto into a substantially horizontalposition, arms pivotally mounted on the pin frame and engaging said rodfrom an elevated position downwardly to assume vertical position withthe pins carried thereby positioned over the floor, a series of rodspivotally connected to said arms, a bar slidably mounted on thesupporting structure and slidably receiving said rods, yieldable drivemeans connecting thev rods to said bar, and means for imparting slidingmovement to the bar for effecting operation of said arms to release thepins from elevated position.

5. In a bowling alley, a playing floor and pins, I a supportingstructure at the pin end of said,

- means connected to the driven shaft, a cam secured to the cam shaft, aroller connected to said bar and riding said cam for imparting slidingmovement to the bar during the rotation of the cam, and a manuallycontrolled clutch for connecting and disconnecting the cam shaft withthe driven shaft.

5. In a bowling alley, a playing floor and pins, a supporting structureat the pin end of said floor, pin supporting means carried by saidsupporting structure and connected to said pins for suspending thelatter over the floor in playing position and adapted to elevate a pinwhen struck a blow and to retain the latter pin elevated in asubstantially horizontal position, a releasing means carried by thesupporting structure and operatively connected with said first meansforeffecting release of the pins from substantially horizontal position andincluding a slidable bar on the supporting structure, a cam shaftjournaled on the supporting structure, a driven shaft journaled on thesupporting structure, power means connected to the driven shaft, a camsecured to the cam shaft, a roller connected to said bar and riding saidcam for imparting sliding movement to the bar during the rotation of thecam, a gear secured to the cam shaft, a gear meshing with the first gearand journaled on the driven shaft, a clutch for connecting anddisconnecting the second gear with the driven shaft, an operating leverfor said clutch, manual means connected with said lever for effectingoperation thereof.

6. In a bowling alley, a playing floor and pins, a supporting structureat the pin end of said floor, pin supporting means carried by saidsupporting structure and connected to said pins for suspending thelatter over the floor in playing position and adapted to elevate a pinwhen struck a blow and to retain the latter pin elevated in asubstantially horizontal position, a releasing means carried by thesupporting structure and operatively connected with said first means foreffecting release of the pins from substantially horizontal position andincluding a slidable bar on the supporting structure, a cam shaftjournaled on the supporting structure, a driven shaft journaled on thesupporting structure, power means connected to the driven shaft, a camsecured to the cam shaft, a roller connected to said bar and riding saidcam for imparting sliding movement to the bar during the rotation of thecam, a gear secured to the cam shaft, a gear meshing with the first gearand joumaled on the driven shaft, a clutch for connecting anddisconnecting the second gear with the driven shaft, an operating leverfor said clutch, manual means connected with said lever for effectingoperation thereof, spring means connected to said lever for normallypositioning the latter to disengage the clutch, a timing disc secured onthe cam shaft and having a socket; a pin carried by said lever andriding the timing disc to enter the socket for permitting said springmeans to disengage the clutch and thereby bring about timing of the camto be driven each time of the engagement of the clutch onecomplete'revolution.

, EARL G. STRONG.

